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The 75 Hard Challenge has taken social media by storm, with millions sharing their progress using the hashtag #75Hard on TikTok. But what exactly is this challenge, and how can it benefit you? The 75 Hard Challenge is a 75-day program that builds mental toughness through five daily tasks: structured diet, outdoor workouts, hydration, reading, and progress photos. Sounds like something you can handle? Then, hop in!
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In this article, you'll learn:
What the 75 Hard Challenge is: Understand the core aspects of this 75-day challenge and how it builds mental toughness.
The five essential rules: From reading ten pages of nonfiction to taking a progress picture.
Top tips for success: Discover expert-backed tips for maintaining consistency and avoiding common pitfalls.
Mental and physical benefits: Explore how the challenge can improve your health, fitness, and mental resilience.
How to use summaries for self-growth: Learn how the Headway app can help you stay on track with daily educational content.
Top five tips for crushing the 75 Hard Challenge
If you think the 75 Hard Challenge might be right for you, you must consider your safety. Here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe experience:
Choose a healthy diet: Pick a science-backed, sustainable diet instead of restrictive or fad diets.
Hydrate with electrolytes: Add electrolyte powders to your water to prevent dilution and balance hydration.
Balance your workouts: Include one recovery-focused workout like walking or restorative yoga alongside intense exercises.
Listen to your body: Don’t push through if you’re unwell or burnt out; prioritize your health and recovery.
Consult with experts: Work with your healthcare professionals or nutritionist for personalized advice and a safe approach.
75 Hard Challenge rules: What you need to know
Ready to tackle the 75 Hard Challenge? Before you get started, it's important to understand the rules that will test you mentally and physically. Let’s go over the five key guidelines you'll need to follow to conquer this life-changing challenge.
Rule #1 — follow a structured diet
Firstly, you must follow a structured diet that aligns with your goals and follow it strictly for the length of the program. This means no excuses, deviations, alcohol, or cheat meals are allowed. The nutrition plan can be whatever you choose. For instance, you might wish to follow a vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto, low-carb, or Atkins diet plan.
This daily task aims to foster extreme discipline that can be extended to all aspects of your life. It will also help with improving your physical shape and health.
Rule #2 — complete two 45-minute workouts (one must be outdoors)
The second task requires you to undertake two 45-minute workouts every day, and one of these must be outdoors, no matter the weather. If you miss a workout, you must start the program over again. The fitness program you choose to complete is not important as long as you are moving your body with the purpose of improving. For example, you can run, do cardio, walk, practice yoga, or lift weights.
This step teaches you to control what you can and get things done instead of making excuses, and this invaluable skill can benefit all parts of your life.
Rule #3 — drink a gallon of water
Drinking a gallon of water is extremely good for you, as hydration benefits both your physical and mental health. This task teaches you some discipline, and improves your well-being, and while simple tasks can often prove the most challenging, you must ensure you complete them.
Rule #4 — read ten pages
This step requires you to read something educational and nonfictional that can help improve a part of your life. For instance, it could be a nonfiction book about career growth, personal development, self-help, or building confidence.
The rule is that you must read at least ten pages of a nonfiction book in a single day, so by the end of the challenge, you will have absorbed at least 750 pages of educational content. This step teaches you about building healthy habits and allows you to improve your skills and gain total control over your life.
This task is fairly strict in that audiobooks do not count, as you must physically read ten pages. However, while you cannot adjust the challenge’s rules to replace physical books with book summaries, the Headway app is a fantastic additional tool for your self-growth journey.
Our app is designed for people with a passion for self-improvement, and we help you reach your goals to become the best possible version of yourself.
We offer 15-minute audio and book summaries from some of the leading nonfiction titles, challenges, insights, and more, so you can work on personal development no matter how busy your schedule is. For instance, perhaps you want to be more productive, more successful at work, or improve your overall happiness. No matter the goal, Headway has you covered.
Therefore, while you still need to read ten physical pages a day to complete this rule, the Headway app is the perfect accompaniment to personal development and self-growth that can be used throughout the 75 Hard Challenge and beyond.
Rule #5 — take a progress photo
This final task involves taking a progress photo of yourself every day. While it may make you uncomfortable, that is the task’s point. While a simple rule, it forces you to push through discomfort and realize that every detail is important, no matter how small it appears. This is key to success.
Eight benefits of the 75 Hard Challenge
There are numerous potential physical and mental health benefits to this mental toughness program, such as:
Improved health: By following a structured, healthy diet, you can boost your overall health and lower the risk of certain diseases.
Better fitness level: Regular exercise during the challenge enhances your body’s overall fitness, helping you build strength and endurance.
Mental clarity: Staying hydrated with a gallon of water daily supports mental clarity, skin health, and metabolism, improving your overall health.
Enhanced brain activity: Reading educational content daily sharpens your mind, expanding your knowledge and improving cognitive function.
Motivation through progress photos: Taking a daily progress photo serves as a visual reminder of your journey, motivating you to stay on track.
New healthy habits: The challenge promotes the creation of healthy, sustainable habits that you can carry with you long after completing the program.
Alcohol avoidance: The challenge helps you skip alcohol, promoting a healthier lifestyle and mental clarity.
Personal customization: With the flexibility to choose your own diet and workouts, the 75 Hard Challenge can be tailored to fit your personal goals and needs.
Common risks of the 75 Hard Challenge and how to avoid them
While the 75 Hard Challenge has many potential benefits, there are also several potential drawbacks. These include:
Unrealistic zero cheat meals rule: The strict rule about zero cheat meals can make it hard to stick to and could lead you to develop an unhealthy relationship with food.
Focus on perfection: The program fails to teach you how to overcome slip-ups or cut yourself some, slack as it focuses on complete perfection, so it may negatively affect mental health.
Lack of a specific diet or routine: As there is no specific diet or fitness regimen specified, people may struggle to create an effective routine.
Time-consuming nature: The 75 Hard Challenge is time-consuming and can take several hours a day to complete all tasks.
Lack of scientific backing: The program is not supported by scientific research.
Risk for those with eating disorders: People who have previously suffered from an eating disorder may find the program unhealthy.
Short-term extreme lifestyle: The challenge provides you with an extreme lifestyle change for a set period, so unless you work out how to maintain it in the long term, you are likely to fall back into old habits.
Injury risk from daily physical activity: 75 days of physical fitness activity without rest could put you at risk of injury.
Family time neglect: The program has no focus on family time.
Body image obsession: Taking daily progress pictures can cause obsession over your body image and breed low self-esteem.
No expert guidance: The program’s creator, Andy Frisella, is not a scientist, fitness coach, or any kind of expert in the health and fitness spheres.
What is the 75 Hard Challenge?
Created in 2019 by entrepreneur Andy Frisella, the 75 Hard Challenge is a transformative mental toughness program. Frisella himself stresses that it is not a fitness challenge — though it does involve a substantial exercise aspect — but a program to permanently increase your mental toughness and permanently change your life, not just your body.
"75 Hard" is about developing the skills you need to have complete control over your life and enjoy better success. It aims to show you how to improve the following traits:
Confidence
Self-esteem
Self-worth
Self-belief
Fortitude
Grittiness
According to Andy Frisella's website, 75 Hard has been completed by over 100,000 people worldwide, and it can help you to:
Completely change how you think and act.
Build incredible relationships with important people in your life.
Discover how to manage your day to accomplish more and stop spending time on meaningless tasks.
Make significant career strides and be proud of your job.
Feel total confidence in yourself and your actions.
Discover how to be honest with yourself and get the self-awareness to keep on course.
Gain independence and the skills to own tasks and projects.
Get in the best physical shape through your mental transformation.
The 75 Hard program involves completing five simple daily tasks for 75 days. However, there is no room for compromise, cheat days, or substitution. If you fail to complete a task at any point, the program states that you must start over from day one (even if it is Day 74).
What do the experts say about the 75 Hard Challenge?
Experts have been extremely vocal about this program, some supporting the challenge and others expressing caution. Here are a handful of expert opinions about the 75 Hard Challenge:
Certified strength and conditioning specialist, Jake Boly, comments that the program could help people build better habits, which can also be transferred into life after completion of the program.
Dr. Haapanen believes that small steps in life change behaviors are best and are more realistic and fun, as opposed to the drastic and extreme changes of 75 Hard.
Certified personal trainer and nutrition coach Stephanie Thomas argues that the program may be suitable for someone who is already active but may not be appropriate for a beginner.
Kelley Kitley is a licensed women’s mental health expert and clinical social worker. She believes the program could benefit people trying to make significant behavior changes. Kelley is particularly interested in the reading aspect as it helps keep you grounded and motivated.
Thomas Hildebrant, a physician and Director of The Centre of Excellence in Eating and Weight Disorders at Mount Sinai, expresses more concern. He argues that the average person does not have the time to commit to the program without making a sacrifice elsewhere in their life.
Julie Landry, the founder of Halcyon Therapy Group, thinks the program could be mentally draining and damage your relationship with food.
Rachel Miklya, a certified personal trainer and registered dietitian, argues that the 75 Hard Challenge is unsafe as it is physically demanding and unsustainable for most people. She believes that people undertaking two hard workouts every day will likely suffer an injury. Even if the workouts are of appropriate intensity, exercising for 75 days with no rest days is demanding of your body and can cause burnout.
Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist and professor, believes that the progress photo aspect of the program may create unhealthy, obsessive thoughts and an excessive fixation on your physical appearance.
Boost your self-growth with Headway
The 75 Hard Challenge is a tough but rewarding program that pushes you to build mental strength and discipline. With its five daily tasks, including reading educational content, it offers a powerful framework for self-improvement. By sticking to these guidelines, you can enhance your resilience and transform your mindset.
If you need more tools to boost your motivation and keep up with the challenge, add Headway’s 15-minute summaries to your checklist. With key lessons from 'Think and Grow Rich!' by Napoleon Hill and Ross Cornwell, 'The 5 AM Club' by Robin Sharma, and more, beating your reading goals will be much easier!
Ready to build the habits and mindset necessary for long-term success? Download the Headway app today and start your personal development journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 75 Hard worth it?
Deciding if the 75 Hard Challenge is right for you depends on what you want to achieve and how ready you feel. If your goal is to get stronger mentally, improve your health, and build good habits, this challenge can really change your life.
But keep in mind, it takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication. If you’re not sure you’re ready, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor or try something easier first.
Does walking count as exercise?
Walking does count as exercise for 75 Hard if it’s part of the 45-minute workout. However, for it to be effective, it should be brisk walking or done with some intensity. If you prefer lower-impact activities, walking is a great option, but ensure that one of your workouts includes more intense physical activity.
Is coffee allowed on the 75 Hard?
Coffee is allowed on the 75 Hard Challenge as long as it is consumed black, without sugar, cream, or any added sweeteners. However, it’s important to limit caffeine intake and ensure it doesn't interfere with hydration, as the program requires drinking a gallon of water daily.
What are good workouts for the 75 Hard?
Good workouts for 75 Hard include a variety of exercises that get your body moving. You can choose anything from running, cycling, or strength training to yoga, hiking, or bodyweight exercises.
The key is that the workouts are intense enough to push you physically and are done with the intent of improving fitness. Just make sure one of the workouts is outdoors!
What diet should I do for the 75 Hard?
The 75 Hard Challenge lets you choose a structured diet of your choice. Choosing one that is science-backed and healthy rather than fad diets, very restrictive diets, or ones based on weight loss, is best. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet should include a variety of whole foods that support your fitness and mental clarity during the challenge. Popular options include:
Whole foods diet: Emphasizes fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. It’s a well-rounded, sustainable approach to eating that supports long-term health.
Keto diet: A low-carb, high-fat diet that may help some individuals with fat loss and energy stability.
Paleo diet: Focuses on eating foods that would have been available to our hunter-gatherer ancestors, such as lean meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Vegan or plant-based diet: Excludes animal products but encourages nutrient-dense plant foods, providing essential vitamins and minerals.
Is the 75 Hard Challenge healthy?
Experts have mixed feelings about the 75 Hard Challenge. Some worry that its strict rules can be too harsh, might cause unhealthy feelings about food, or could be tough for people struggling with eating disorders or body image issues. Because of this, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor before starting the program.
Can you skip a day of the 75 Hard?
The 75 Hard Challenge has a strict rule: you must finish all five daily tasks without missing any. If you skip even one task or day, no matter how far along you are, you have to start over from the beginning. This rule is all about building discipline and mental strength, which are key to the challenge.
That said, it's also important to pay attention to how you feel. If you're sick, very tired, or hurt, taking a rest is okay. Trying to push through when your body needs a break can do more harm than good.
